When he was a schoolboy from the Bronx, Malcolm Taaffe took a field trip to the United Nations in New York City. Inside, he saw mementos from countries from around the world, like a gas mask used in wartime.

He got goose bumps.

"It just did something to me," said Taaffe, now 46. "I was in awe."

In 1999, more than 30 years later, Taaffe returned to the United Nations and saw the same displays. Nothing had changed. His goose bumps returned.

Some folks are easily amused I guess. So what to do, eh Malcolm?

With the endorsement of the United Nations, Taaffe is raising money to bring the world peace-keeping organization to schoolchildren around America.

Be still my heart!

The senior vice president of Morgan Stanley in Tampa wants to raise $1.5-million from corporations and private donors to build and send a 53-foot mobile classroom on tour by September.

"A lot of people will never get the chance to see the United Nations and to learn about its mission," Taaffe said. "I want to change that."

He says the perception by some that the United Nations is "a waste of space," is due to a lack of education.

That's why he wants to create a tourist attraction that will also serve as an educational tool.

They misspelled propaganda.

Plans for the truck, called the United Nations Mobile Education Centre, are on the drawing board.

Inside, a theater that seats 30 will highlight the U.N.'s accomplishments and explain its charge. On the screen, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will talk about peace-keeping in today's world.

Students will be given passports to move between kiosks that will detail the six organs of the U.N.: the International Court of Justice, Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council and Secretariat.

I can think of a few more "organs" starting with ventral orifice Kofi Annan, but frankly this sounds like a real snoozefest.

Recently, Taaffe applied for a patent on a machine that will blow a puff of smoke in the shape of a peace sign from atop the vehicle every five minutes.

Woohoo! I certainly wouldn't want to miss that! The only thing better would be a troupe of naked peace protestors!